1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to a terminal for passing through a waterproof rubber plug, which has no burr at an end thereof, and has a slanting portion so that the terminal can be smoothly passed through and disengaged from the waterproof rubber plug without damage to the waterproof rubber plug. The invention also relates to a method of producing such a terminal.
2. Related art
FIG. 17 shows a conventional terminal, and FIG. 18 shows a waterproof connector using these terminals (Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 60-162388).
The terminal 41 is formed by blanking an electrically-conductive metal sheet by a die and then by bending this blank piece. The terminal includes a box-like (tubular and rectangular in cross-section) electrical contact portion 42 for receiving a mating tab terminal, a conductor-clamping portion 46 for compressively clamping a conductor 44 of a wire 43, and a covering-clamping portion 47 for compressively clamping a covering 45 of the wire 43.
The terminal 41 is passed through an insertion hole 49 in a waterproof rubber plug 48, and is inserted into a connector housing 50, as shown in FIG. 18. The waterproof rubber plug 48 is in the form of a flat mat, and has a plurality of insertion holes 49. Seal lips 51 are formed on an inner surface of the insertion hole 49, and these seal lips 51 closely fit on the wire 43 to thereby prevent the intrusion of water from the exterior.
In the above conventional terminal 41, however, burrs 39 are formed at the ends of the terminal during the blanking by the die, as shown on an enlarged scale in FIG. 17, and sharply-raised portions (bell mouths) 27 and 28 are formed respectively at the front and rear ends of the conductor-clamping portion 46 during the compressive clamping. This has resulted in a problem that such burrs and raised portions damage the lips 51 of the waterproof rubber plug 48 and prevent a smooth insertion of the wire.